Local business fills council shopping trolley

CITY of Ballarat has had a procurement policy and a commitment to buying from local businesses since 2008.

It is incredibly important for council to support Ballarat business said Justine Linley CEO of City of Ballarat.

“Apart from big-ticket items such as vehicles we frequent places around Ballarat for meetings, functions and we also purchase from local organisations such as sign writers and printers,” Ms Linley said.

“Eighty-five per cent of our major tenders were awarded to local businesses and contractors last year and across the city we support significant numbers of businesses at the smaller scale.”

The council releases an expression of interest or a tender for a panel of suppliers asking people to submit their schedule of rates and they can then be selected to go on the panel of suppliers for to two to three years.

“Our preference is definitely for local businesses, people who employ people locally and are based locally,” she said.

The municipality has around 1100 staff and 700 volunteers, the majority of whom live within Ballarat or the immediate regions.

“Our strongest focus is on employing local people, they have houses here, they shop and spend in the city and their kids go to schools nearby,” Ms Linley said.

Adam Heath, Signarama Ballarat’s owner, has been doing business with the council for around five years.

Although, the city is not a major client for the signage they make he said.

“The council doesn’t put all their eggs in one basket, they share the local business around and I think that is a nicer approach, rather than using only one company,” Mr Heath said.

“I’m not saying we wouldn’t like more but if there are different departments that are already using a particular local company, and there is a relationship there, then we are not looking to break any of those relationships.”

Craig Butterworth, owner of SLC – Sound & Light Concepts, said the business he does with the council is not insignificant.

As providers of event sound and lighting hire, his business has been involved with the municipality for over 20 years.

“Heritage Weekend is a big event that ties my business up for a week plus planning time before hand,” Mr Butterworth said.

SLC have gone through the compulsory competitive tender process and have become a preferred supplier to the city.

“It is a very niche market we play in,” he said.

“We are the biggest and longest established business [in this field in Ballarat] so therefore we are the best resourced to be able to do almost everything needed.

“Most of the work that involves the hire side of our business comes from the council’s events department and we realistically get the lion’s share of that.”